John Keolamaka'ainana Lake, a beloved son of Hawai'i who devoted his life to preserving native language and traditions, died yesterday in Honolulu, according to relatives and friends.

Lake was a master chanter, kumu hula, author, researcher, educator and lecturer who retired from full-time teaching at Saint Louis School in 1992. When Lake joined the Saint Louis faculty in 1965, he started a Hawaiian Studies program that grew to include courses in Hawaiian history, language, music, dance and singing.

Lake's age was unavailable.

In 1994, the John K. Lake Endowed Chair of Hawaiian Studies was established at Saint Louis. Lake also founded Hui Na Opio, the school's Hawaiian group.

His contributions and achievements in Hawaiiana went beyond the Saint Louis campus.

"His gift to us as Native Hawaiians is perpetuating the Hawaiian language," said Vicky Holt Takamine, kumu hula of Pua Ali'i 'Ilima halau who learned from the same teacher as Lake — the late "Aunty" Maiki Aiu Lake, wife of John's first cousin, Kahauanu Lake.

"His knowledge of the Hawaiian language plus oli (chanting) and hula (dancing) imparted on his students a deeper understanding of Hawaiian culture and traditions," Takamine said.

Lake taught oli at the University of Hawai'i's Center of Hawaiian Studies.

He was much in demand as a chanter. "It was the quality of his voice," that made Lake an exceptional chanter, Takamine said.

Lake was a soft-spoken, humble man who always made time for people. "For him, it wasn't so much about politics, he focused more on protocol and oli," Takamine said. "He had his own style and vocal quality."